Backtracks

TLs David Trithart and Rose Rivezzi. Participants: Ken Williams, Karin Snyder, Elizabeth Snyder, Marko Bitene, Albert Trithart. With the original date a total rain-out we waited for the sunny day that came on Sunday. Catamount is definitely a challenge with the extensive exposed rock and the scrambling that is required. But the views are definitely worth it. A parade of hikers followed the intrepid ADKers to the top.

TLs Eileen Wheeler and Peter O’Shea. Participants: John Barthelme, Bernie Carr, Tom Wheeler. We enjoyed an easy bushwhack up an esker to look at two remote unnamed ponds which are gradually filling in. Interesting dragonflies were abundant. In addition we identified many butterflies, birds, and bog plants. Next it was on to breezy Streeter Lake for lunch on this warm day. John and Bernie cooled down with a swim in Crystal lake, our final destination. Great company; lots to observe and learn.

TL Sandy Hildreth. Participants: Pam and Rick Abell, Tom and Ann Ortmeyer, Peter and Marilyn Gillespie. A lovely evening paddle. We saw two loons and one leech. Note that boats must now be carried about a quarter of a mile from the parking lot to the launch site.

TL Geri Ames Participants: Lois Rader, JoAnn Den Bleyker, Susan Omohundro, John Omohundro, Alison Charles, Morgan Perkins. For a short paddle, our trip took five hours! The scenery was beautiful with Cardinal flowers along the shoreline and a nice sandy bottom allowed us to stop and swim three times. The water temperature was delightful. You could swim without moving an inch due to the current and that was fun. Rocks in the river also provided us a place to perch and sun ourselves and talk. Good company, beautiful scenery and perfect weather added up to a delightful trip. Oh, the ice cream stop in Winthrop made the day.

TLs Linda Moerschell and Nancy LaBaff. Participants: Chuck Tracy, John Barron, Ken Coskran. On a sunny day the five of us made our way to the summit of Giant via the Zander trail. Giant took our breath away, not only because of the ascent of 3050 feet in 3 miles, but for the frequent and spectacular views. We enjoyed our lunch at the top but were soaked by a sudden hail storm early in the descent. Soon we were viewing the storm in the valley to the East below us and it wasn’t long before we were descending in sunshine and dry rocks again. A torrential downpour hit just minutes after we were in our cars on the way home.

TLs Blair and Margaret Madore. Participants: Cole Madore, Kurt Terrance, Jake Whitecrow, Kyle Delormier, Angela Thivierge. After a beautiful, short, steep climb we enjoyed blueberries, tree climbing and great views. A picnic and swim at Lake Colby rounded out the trip.

TLs Duncan and Lois Cutter. Participants: Paul Cutter, David Brouwer, John Barron, Susan Omohundro, John Omohundro. A perfect day to paddle, bushwhack and then swim. Chicken wire covering the slippery planks on the carry in gave our feet a secure grip. Good, clear panoramic views from the Baldface rock ledges.

Baldface Mt. Photo, l to r: Lois Cutter, David Brouwer, John Omohundro, Duncan Cutter, Paul Cutter, John Barron. Photo Susan Omohundro.

Debar Pond Photo, l to r: Duncan, Lois, and Paul Cutter. Photo John Barron.

TL Robin Rhodes-Crowell. Participants: David Crowell, Emma and Naomi Crowell, Grace Sawyko, Elise Franck, Leon Sawyko, Maggie Willette, Gene Willette, Joel Foisy, Gretchen Koehler, Lee Francis, Jean Fallon, Sylvia and Gaetan Foisy. We enjoyed the summit of Mt. Arab on a perfect summer day. The view was clear all around and many of us ventured up the fire tower. All the children did well on the hike and we were blessed to have a variety of ages along.

Photo, l to r: Lee Francis, Sylvain Foisy, Gretchen Koehler, Gaetan Foisy, Joel Foisy, Elise Franck, Carol Franck, Leon Sawyko, Grace Sawyko, David Crowell, Emma Crowell, Robin Rhodes-Crowell (leader), Naomi Crowell, Regina Willette, Jean Fallon and Maggie Willette.

TL Bill Mueller. Participant: Armond Spencer. Great day for a beautiful hike. Clear skies, cooler weather, good company. Hope more folks come next year. A unique view from Blue Mountain to the East and a full panorama South to West over the Five Ponds Wilderness.

TL Lyle Montgomery. Participants: Shirley White, Megan White, Nancy Skiff, Paula Skiff, Butch and Caroline Durant, Nancy LaBaff, Alka Srivastava. Nine enthusiastic hikers climbed Pitchoff Mountain on a clear sunny day and were captivated by the views and sparking Cascade Lake below us. Wild blueberries, and bright red bunch berries were abundant. A brown snake was spotted on the ridge. We couldn’t resist a quick dip in Cascade Lake following our descent.

Photo, l to r: Nancy Skiff, Caroline Durant, Butch Durant, Lyle Montgomery, Nancy Labaff, Megan White, Alka Srivastava, Paula Skiff, Shirley Whitewas. Photo by Nancy Labaff.

TL David Trithart. Participants: John Barron, Jean Barron, Lee Francis, Rose Rivezzi, Niall Barron, Fiona Barron. A nice day made the fine trails seem all the more pleasant. An easy stroll, a few ripe berries and water warm enough to entice a few swimmers.

Photo, l to r: David Trithart (Potsdam), Jean Giblin (Ottawa), Lee Francis (Hannawa Falls), Fiona Barron (Ottawa), Rose Rivezzi (Potsdam). Photo by John Barron.

TL Nancy Skiff. Participants: Carolyn Durant, Butch Durant. A cloudy day meant cloudy views at the top The rains came a mile and a half from the finish. The day was spent identifying trees, looking at old water sources, exploring a small dam, and enjoying friendships.

TLs Ann and Armond Spencer. Participants: Tom and Ann Ortmeyer, Alison Charles, John Omohundro, Don and Betty Peckham. We had a nice paddle, and saw quite a few birds on a windy but pleasant evening. We enjoyed some fine food at our picnic, but the high point of the evening was when a great horned owl landed in a tree very close by and sat for a while before continuing on its way.

TLs John and Susan Omohundro. Participants: Bob and Janet Wakefield, Dick and Alison Charles, Tom and Ann Ortmeyer, Ann and Armond Spencer, Sheila Cerwonka. A fine quiet evening exploring the long areas of this Oswegatchie flow. We especially enjoyed the jumbled rock formations, waterfalls, and flowers along Skate Creek. A cool dusk overtook our picnic supper.

TL: John Barron. Participants: Chuck Tracy, Alicia Schantz, Lorrie Wemett. Billed as a classic, and it was. Bright sunshine showed the scenery to best advantage. Lorrie deserves honorable mention for adapting so well to the rigors of mountain hiking, living, as she does, in Palm Harbor, Florida.

TLs Ann and Tom Ortmeyer. Participants: Ann and Armond Spencer, Ken Williams. We had a great day for this nice 14 mile RT bicycle trip from St. Regis Falls to Everton Falls. We snacked at the falls with a cedar waxwing, but found the ice cream shop already closed on our return to town.

TL: Tom Wheeler. Participants: Ann & Armond Spencer, John & Susan Omohundro, Eileen Wheeler, Marsha Akins, Chris Lafty, Darcy Derouchie, Alicia Schantz, Lorrie Wemett. The Jay Range did not disappoint: cliffs, open rock ledges, forests. The ridge line led us to ever changing scenery, from the high peaks to Lake Champlain, and the mountains of Vermont. The weather was excellent for hiking and the mountain rewarded all who came on this spectacular hike. Photo: Tom Wheeler

We couldn’t have had a better day to be out on the Lake Lila and up on the stone cliffs of Frederica Mt. A group of four canoes and one kayak paddled directly across the lake to the trail up the mountain. After enjoying the views from the top (and lunch), we all took leisurely routes back to the put-in. A good day. TLs: Ron Johnson and Nikki Coates. Participants: John & Sue Omohundro, Rich Paolillo, Nick Pavone, Cris Winters, Duncan & Lois Cutter, Jeannette Costello